NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

May 20, 1999

Kim Bushaw, Parent Line Program Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

David was only 9 when he was introduced to inhalants. He and some friends were out playing in the garage where they found a can of spray paint. One boy told the others about how he and his cousin had sprayed paint into a bag and breathed it. Before long three of the four boys were passing the bag between them.

Inhalant use is nothing new, to be sure. Gasoline and airplane glue have been problem products in this sense for a long time. Now we can add innocent household products from air fresheners to upholstery cleaner to the list. Nearly any product from an aerosol can has the potential for becoming a dangerous inhalant.

Another category includes solvents such as correction fluid and nail polish remover. Nitrous oxide cartridges such as those found in whipped cream cans, commonly referred to as "whippets," head a third category. The fourth type are nitrates such as butyl, used in chemicals that clean video equipment. Our homes, schools and stores are full to brimming with these time-saving but mind-altering products.

Dr. Michael Shannon, associate chief for the division of emergency medicine at Boston's Children's Hospital and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Harvard Medical School, offers some frightening information on inhalants in the May 1999 Child Health Alert newsletter. He notes that huffing is the No. 1 form of substance abuse among children ages 8 to 12, and huffing leads to abuse of other substances and forms ties to lifelong substance abuse. He also notes that these products are easy to get, that the high is short lived, the signs can be hard to detect and the effects can be devastating.

What parents and children need to be most aware of is that even one incident can cause sudden death—even the first one. Lungs collapse and the heart stops. If not death, consider this: Huffing results in shrinking brain tissue and cell death including memory loss and problems with both comprehension and judgement. IQs plummet and futures fade with every sniff. Speech, hearing, sight and coordination are permanently damaged, as are organs such as the kidneys and liver. Muscle strength diminishes and seizures can begin unexpectedly.

Estimates show that one out of every five children may be using some type of inhalant. How do we as adults help one-fifth of our children get off their life-threatening path? The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition lists several signs of inhalant use on its Web site at http://www.inhalants.org. Falling grades, apathetic attitude and regular absences from school can be clues. Other possible signs include paint or stains on the child's hands or clothing, sores around the mouth or nose, chemical breath, a drunk or dazed appearance, being anxious or easily irritated, weight loss, nausea, and frequent headaches. Parents also should be aware that toxic household products hidden in a child's room are cause for alarm.

Parents can keep their eyes open to these signs, talk to their children about appropriate uses for chemicals, read and follow label directions, and use these products only in well-ventilated rooms. Scare tactics or too much information on ways people abuse these products may backfire. Create and encourage positive alternatives to this and other self-destructive behaviors. If you believe your child has been involved with chemicals, seek help immediately because the damage is serious and permanent.

David got sick from his experience with the paint. He was afraid he would get caught, and he never tried it again. Children often will report getting scared from a bad experience with huffing before they stop, but even then, many need help to stay away from it.

For more information, call the national Inhalant Prevention Coalition at 1-800-269-4237 or visit the Web site listed above. Law enforcement officers, health care professionals regional human service centers and addiction counselors are great local resources—use them.

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More than 100 Parent Line columns are in the book "Please Tell Me This is Just a Stage." To order, send $9.95 per copy to Distribution Center, Box 5655, NDSU, Fargo, ND 58105-5655.

Kim Bushaw answers the Parent Line, an information and listening support line for North Dakota parents from the NDSU Extension Service. Call the Parent Line at 1-800-258-0808 (231-7923 in Fargo) with questions about this column and other parenting topics. The Parent Line is answered 7:30 a.m. - 9:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Friday.

Source: Kim Bushaw (701) 231-1070

Editor: Becky Koch (701) 231-7875